Display-rack.



W. T. HORMES. DISPLAY RACK. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1915.

l mbwmm Patented July 6, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, D. c.

W. T. HORMES. DISPLAY RACK. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1915.

Patented July 6, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- is 'r WILLIAM T. HORMES, F GOVANSTOWN, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO SOLOMON HIMME'L, 0F BALTIMORE, IIIARYLAND.

DISPLAY-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 29, 1915. Serial No. 5,087.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM T. Hornvrns, a citizen of the United States, residing at (iovanstown, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved device for displaying ready made garments and the like, and relates to that type of display devices wherein a rotatable rack is employed for supporting the goods to be displayed, which rack is movable to and from a position within a case or compartment. Such cases or compartments are usually constructed with glass walls or panels, so that the goods on display may be readily seen by prospective customers passing the same, and at the same time be protected from dust and contamination from other sources. And when it is desired to more closely inspect the goods upon display, it is customary to move the rack to the forward edge of the case or compartment, and then rotate the same at will, to permit of convenient inspection and selection. In view of the fact that economy of floor space demands that the area occupied by the case or compartment be as small as possible, said case or compartment is usually made of oblong shape, and the arms of the rack, when the latter is within the case, normally extend parallel with the rear wall of the case, the length of said arms being greater than the width of the case. To provide the necessary clearance for the arms of the rack when the latter is rotated, it is customary to provide means whereby the rack may be bodily moved to a point near the front of the case. Under these conditions it is important that the arms-0f the rack be brought parallel with the rear wall of the case, in order that the rack may be moved back after the goods have been inspected. Otherwise the glass panel forming the rear wall may be damaged or broken by the ends of said arms striking against it.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved means for normally tit) preventing rotation of the rack when in its rearward position within the case and during movement to and from said rearward position, the rack being free to rotate when in its forward position.

A further object is to provide means for insuring that the rack is in proper position for rearward movement before such movement may be initiated, and for preventing rearward movement until the rack is in such proper position.

. The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional View illustrating a display rack constructed in accordance with my invention, the rack being in its innermost position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. -Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan view showing parts in full lines in rearward position, and in dotted lines in forward position. Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are similar views of various modifications.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a case or cabinet of any suitable structure, the rear and end walls of which are preferably formed with glass panels. The front portion of the case or cabinet is closed by slidable doors 11 in a Well known manner.

The display rack proper comprises a carriage 12, mounted to reciprocate between suitable guides 13, secured to the side walls of a channel 14, formed in the bottom of the case or cabinet. Rotatably supported by said carriage is a vertical shaft 15, provided with a cross head 16, which supports arms 17, to which the garment supporting rods 18, are secured.

The structure thus far described is well known and in common use, being illustrated and described in Letters Patent 991,164, to Andrew E. Miller.

The present invention deals particularly with means for preventing rotation of shaft 15 when the carriage 12 is in its rearward position, and during movement of said carriage toward and from said rearward position. Oneof the simplest forms of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 3, in which 19 designates a disk secured to the lower end of the shaft 15, beneath the carriage 12, the width of the disk being somewhat less than its length. Located in the channel 1. :,near one side thereof, are spaced apart abutment guides 20, the outer end of each guide having attached thereto an offset portion 21 near its forward extremity. The disk 19 is arranged with its minor axis parallel with the garment supporting bars 18, its major axis being parallel with said abutment guides. The abutment guides are so arranged that when the bars 18 are parallel with the back of the case, the side edges of disk 19 will just clear the abutment guides 20, as illustrated in full lines, Fig. 3, thus permitting the carriage 12 to move with respect to the back of the case 10. shaft 15, tending to rotate the same, the end edges of the disk 19 will be brought against the abutment guides 20, thus preventing rotation of said shaft 15. WVhen the carriage has been moved to forward position, as indi'cated in dotted lines, Fig. 3, the ofiset portions 21 of the abutment guides 20 provide ample clearance for the ends of the disk 19, thus'permitting free rotation of shaft 15 when the rack is in the said forward position. When in this position, should an attempt be made to move the rack rearward before the rods 18 are parallel with the rear wall of the case 10, the ends of said disk 19 will strike against the shoulders 22, formed by the offset portions 21, and there by prevent rearward movement. By this arrangement rotationof the rack is prevented while injits rearward position, and dur ing movement toward and from said portion. Likewise rearward movement is prevented until the rack is in proper position with respect to the rear wall of the case.

, The'construction illustrated in Fig. 4 is similar to that of Fig. 3 except that the offset portion attached to the abutment guide is dispensed with, a single straight abutment guide 20 being employed. The form of the disk is slightly altered, but the operation is the same as in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a disk 23 similar to disk 19, secured to shaft 15, the same be ing provided with locating notches 24. A lever25, pivoted at one end to carriage 12, is provided with a roller 26, which is normally held in engagement with the periphery of the'cam, by means of a spring 27, connected atone end to the free end of said lever, the other end of the spring being secured to the carriage. It will be noted that the diameter of roller 26 is relatively small as compared to the notches 24. A single abutment guide 20 is employed and provided with an offset portion 22 the functions of the abutment guide being the same as previously described. In operation, when the carriage is in its rearward position, as shown in full lines, Fig. 5, and during movement to and from said rearward position, any force applied to rotate shaft 15, causes the disk to engage abutment guide 20, before the roller 26 leaves its notch. In this manner rotation of the shaft is prevented. When the parts have been moved to the outer position, as illustrated in dotted lines, Fig. 5, rotation of'the disk 23 moves the roller 26 out of its notch, and should rearward movement of the Should any force be applied to rack be attempted, such movement would be arrested by the said disk 23 abutting against shoulder 22. In addition to the foregoing, the lever 25, roller 26 and spring 27, onoperating with notches 24, serve to automatically position the disk relative to the abutment guide, to permit the rack to return into the case, and because the rack bars are at right angles to the major axis of the disk, said positioning of the disk automatically alines the rack bars with the rear wall of the case. hen shaft 15 is partially rotated and released, the roller 26 acting against the wall of the notch 24, under the tension of spring 27, will cause the disk 23 (together with shaft 15) to reverse its rotation, rotary movement being arrested when the roller reaches the innermost portion of the notch. When the disk has been rotated to the extent illustrated in dotted lines Fig. 4, the roller 26 is in engagement with a neutral face 28 of the disk thus rendering the spring inoperative for the time being, and permitting rotation of the rack to be arrested at will. When the disk has been rotated to a sufiicient degree to bring the roller into contact with one of the cam surfaces of either of the notches 24, the disk is automatically rotated by the roller as it enters the notch, in the manner above described.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 6, an elongated disk 29 is secured to the shaft 15, and provided with the notches 30, similar to the construction illustrated in Fig. 5. The notches 30 are engaged by a roller 31 carried by a lever 32, a spring 33 holding the lever in such position as to cause the roller to normally bear against the edge of the disk. The lever 32, spring 33 and roller 31 perform the self-locating functions of the corresponding elements illustrated in Fig. 5. In Fig. 5 the lever is illustrated as located between the disk and the abutment guide, whereas in Fig. 6 the disk is shown as located between the lever and the abutment guide. The disk cooperates with the abutment guide in the same manner as the corresponding parts illustrated in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 7 is illustrated a disk 34 of rectangular form, preferably oblong, secured to the shaft 15, the minor axis of the disk 34 being parallel with the bars 18. Co'liperating with said disk is a locating device, comprising a plate 35 carried by a longitudinally reciprocal rod 36, supported by the carriage, a spring 37 acting to normally hold said plate in engagement with said disk. The outer end of rod 36 is located near an abutment guide 38. In operation, rotation of the shaft 15 is prevented when the rack is away from the forward position, for the reason that any rotation of the shaft will, through rotation of disk 34, move the rod into engagement with the abutment guide 38. When the rack is in forward position,

however, the rod will clear the abutment guide and thus permit rotation of the shaft. It will also be understood that when the rod 36 extends across the forward end of the abutment guide, rearward movement of the rack is prevented. It will be further noted, that rotation of the rack is restrained by reason of the plate coming in contact with the rectangular faces of disk 34; and that should the shaft 15 be partially rotated and released, the spring 37, acting through plate 35 and the edges of disk 84, will bring the rack to a predetermined position.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what I claim is 1. The combination with a case or compartment, of a rotatable rack movable to and from a position within said case or compartment, a stationary abutment guide arranged parallel with the reciprocal path of movement of said rack, and a disk attached to and rotatable with the rack in the same plane as said abutment guide, the width of said disk being less than the length thereof, and means cooperating with the edge of said disk to maintain the major axis of the disk normally parallel with said abutment guide, said abutment guide being of a length to provide clearance for the rotation of the disk when the rack is in its forward position,

whereby one side edge of the disk will abut against said guide should rotation of the rack be attempted except in the forward position.

2. The combination with a case or compartment, of a rotatable rack movable to and from a position within said case or compartment, a stationary abutment guide arranged parallel with the reciprocal path of. m0vement of said rack, and a disk attached to and rotatable with the rack in the same plane as said abutment guide, said disk being provided with oppositely disposed notches making the disk of less width than length, means cooperating with said notches to maintain the major axis of the disk normally parallel with said abutment guide, said abutment guide being of a length to provide clearance for the rotation of the disk when the rack is in its forward position, whereby one side edge of the disk will abut against said guide should rotation of the rack be attempted except in the forward position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set .my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM T. I-IORMES. Witnesses:

CHARLES A. KOERNER, STEPHEN CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

